What COVID restrictions are easing from today onwards?

Here's what we know so far… 

By Khushi Shah

With daily COVID-19 numbers falling ever so slightly, the Thai Government has decided to ease some restrictions going into September. Here's what's been announced:

Interprovincial transport services, malls, foot massage parlours, and restaurant dine-in services in dark-red zones will be allowed to resume, but the nighttime curfew remains tight.

Services only to remain open until 8.00 pm 

• Restaurants and eateries for dine-in services are now open
  • Those inside shopping malls or similar venues are allowed to open as well 
  • NO sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages 
  • Limit: 50 percent customers for airconditioned restaurants and 75 percent for the open-air ones 
• Hair and beauty salons 
• Health massage and spa shops only for foot massage services 
• Markets 
• Shopping malls, shopping centres, community malls, or similar establishments with the following limitations 
  • Hair and beauty salons are allowed to accept customers with an advance appointment for a one-hour service per customer
  • Aesthetic clinics, medical clinics for beauty services, and cosmetic clinics are allowed to accept customers with advanced appointments
  • Tutorial schools, cinemas, water parks and amusement parks, swimming pools, fitness centres, gaming centres, as well as banquet and meeting venues are to remain CLOSED
• Public parks, sports fields, sports complexes, and outdoor swimming pools to reopen until 8pm
• All types of educational institutions can also reopen

What remains open? 

• Hospitals 
• Medical facilities 
• Medical clinics 
• Pharmacies 
• Shops
• Factories 
• Banks
• ATMs
• Telecommunication services 
• Postage and parcel services 
• Pet shops 
• Building materials 
• Cooking gas stores 
• Petrol stations 
• Online delivery services 

Interprovincial Travel 

• Public Transport Services: 75 percent of seating capacity only and all vehicles must apply social distancing measures 
• Travel between dark-red zones and other areas can resume although the government has reiterated that unnecessary travel be avoided until further notice

Gatherings 

• People, public, and private organisations are still prohibited to organise any activities that can lead to the spread of disease. However the number of people allowed to gather has been increased for each zone
• Dark-red zone: no gatherings of more than 25 people (previously five people)
• Red zone: No gatherings of more than 50 people (previously 20 people)
• Orange zone: No gatherings of more than 100 people (previously 50 people)
• Curfew and work from home effective until 14th September 2021
• Nighttime curfew in place between 9pm and 4am 

All entertainment venues including bars and clubs are to remain closed until further notice 

Self-protective measures and distancing efforts

As usual, people nationwide are asked to continue abiding by the health and safety measures in place. 

D-M-H-T-T-A 

D: Distancing 

M: Mask wearing 

H: Handwashing 

T: Temperature checks 

T- Testing for COVID-19 

A: Alert applications